Teens Take On Health

LOGAN —Utah State University Extension 4-H members recently hosted Teens Take on Health roundtable discussions in Logan and Salt Lake to develop health and living programs for their communities. The 4-H youth, along with teens from the Boys and Girls Club and Latinos in Action, shared their views on health issues in the town hall-style meetings.

Topics discussed included school lunches, bullying, technology addiction and teen obesity. The teens brainstormed to find possible solutions to these problems and designed programs that could help their schools and communities promote healthy living.

Molina Healthcare, sponsor of the roundtable events, recently awarded the National 4-H Council’s Healthy Living program $1 million. Five states, including Utah, were chosen to participate in Teens Take on Health. Molina Healthcare will fund teen led, healthy living programs in one or more participating states for five years.

In October, approximately 200 youth from 4-H and Latinos in Action came to the USU campus topresent their healthy living ideas for consideration of the contest. Another group of teens met in Salt Lake City and designed a unique support program for teens who are affected by bullying. Their plan is to start clubs in high schools that have a support network of peers and adults who have also experienced bullying.

“We want teens to take the lead in their communities, notice a problem they want changed and think of solutions they can use to bring back into their communities and fix the problem,” said Michelle Bernston, volunteer for the Teens Take on Health program and facilitator of the roundtable meetings.

In the spring of 2014, national and state reports from Teens Take on Health will be released, and the programs Molina Healthcare selects to fund will be announced.

For further information about Molina Healthcare and the Teens take on Health program, visit: